ASEANEWS HEADLINE-ASIA GEOPOLITICS | MANILA: PCG RADIO CHALLENGES IGNORED | China’s ‘Monster’ ship sails closer to Zambales
This handout aerial photo taken on January 13, 2025 and released by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on January 14 shows Chinese Coast Guard ship 5901 sailing in the South China Sea. The Philippines said on January 14 it was alarmed by Chinese coast guard patrols which are growing closer to the country’s shore. The 165-metre (540-foot) ship was last located 143 kilometres (89 miles) west of Capones Island in Zambales province. (Photo by Handout / Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) / AFP)
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WATCH VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvkP-hB7QzA
WATCH: PH Coast Guard issues radio communication to China’s monster ship | ABS-CBN News
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SECURITY concerns escalated sharply as China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5901, referred to as the “Monster” ship, ventured into waters 60 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales, well within the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), which has been monitoring the activities of the 165-meter-long CCG 5901 for the past two weeks, described the vessel’s presence as unauthorized and a blatant violation of international maritime law.
Despite multiple radio challenges issued by the PCG’s flagship vessel, the BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301), the Chinese vessel failed to comply.
“The Philippines’ authority in these waters is enshrined in the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), and reinforced by the 2016 Arbitral Award,” the PCG said in a statement on Saturday.
The CCG 5901’s presence is part of a broader trend of heightened Chinese activity in the South China Sea. Reports indicate that the vessel has been operating unlawfully within 60 to 70 nautical miles of the Philippine coastline since early January, with additional Chinese coast guard vessels — CCG 3103 and CCG 3502 — also observed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
Further complicating the situation, the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Shaunak, returning from a goodwill mission to Japan, faced surveillance from the CCG 3304 while navigating waters west of Scarborough Shoal. The Indian ship’s passage highlighted the increasingly contentious nature of the region, which China claims as part of its territory despite overlapping EEZ claims by the Philippines and an arbitral court that decided the Chinese claims have no legal basis.
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The Philippines has lodged formal protests against China’s actions. The National Security Council (NSC) described the deployment of the CCG 5901 as an “attempt to intimidate local fishermen” and a direct challenge to Philippine sovereignty. The NSC called for the immediate withdrawal of the vessel from Philippine waters.
During a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism meeting on Jan. 16 in Xiamen, China, the Philippines expressed its “serious concern” over the incursions. While both nations discussed measures to avoid tensions during resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal, the Philippines maintained its firm stance on the withdrawal of Chinese vessels from its EEZ.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by spokesman Guo Jiakun, defended the CCG’s actions, asserting that their patrol and law enforcement activities were “reasonable, lawful, and beyond reproach.” Beijing continues to assert territorial claims over large portions of the South China Sea, including areas recognized internationally as part of the Philippines’ EEZ.
It was also reported that American surveillance assets, including the US Navy’s MQ-4C Triton and P-8A Poseidon aircraft, observed the interactions between the Chinese and Philippine Coast Guard vessels, indicating a broader strategic concern over freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
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The PCG and Philippine authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the nation’s maritime rights.
“The Philippine Coast Guard will remain vigilant in monitoring these waters and will continue to assert our sovereignty through all legal and diplomatic channels,” the PCG said.
This is the second week the PCG has monitored the CCG vessels operating within the Philippines’ EEZ.
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